Robyn

First, let me say that i bought this on a whim....I was just looking for something interesting, as i often do, and saw this CD and thought i would take a chance....And it was a good choice....2nd let me say that i dont like, enjoy, encourage, or purchase rap music....I dont think its music,i dont think its clever, and fortunately ive not been Trained by MTV or VH-1 to accept that it is worth my time or my money$$$....If you have been so trained then you have my sympathy.....Now, with that being said., and as i mentioned i had NO IDEA what "Robyn" music would be like, and as it turned out, its rap music, but with a very fine style....Its White-Swedish rap music.....but, i can report that this girl is talented, has a very charming voice and unlike most of the ethnic rap that annoyingly blasts out of limo tinted low riders at red lights in the daytime, this girl's music is NOT mindless rhyme set to simple drum beats and little else.....The rap is "musicial" and is obviously influenced by Euro artists like Sasha and not american ethnic artists....So, i can recomend this CD to anyone who finds rap to be simpleminded, simplistic, and very non-musical....In other words, what Robyn has created is not just lowbrow ghetto rhyme bathed in repetitive pounding beats...but something Euro, something clever, and something original...and i bet her next CD breaks her big time in the US.

I have listened to this cd so many times, and I never get sick of it. Robyn, you are amazing!

When comparing it to the Robyn of the past she's almost unrecognisable, she is a woman with a great voice and an ear for innovation. With this album, it has some amazing tracks such as "Bum Like You" and "With Every Heartbeat" in these tracks she displays just exactly why we fell in love with her music in the first place. It was original, yet she didn't go insane with trying to sound so different that she actually sounded much the same of other such musicians.

There is a gripe I have with Robyn and this album, however, and that's it spews musical arrogance. She's insisting upon her own talent and saying to the world "Look I'm a great singer and I can rap too" but the response I have to that is no, Robyn you can't rap and it actually makes you sound ridiculous. I've always had a problem with British or other European artists thinking they can rap by using very Americanised words. She's so confident in her apparent rapping abilities that she's managed to destroy what had the potential to be album of the year.

Skipping songs along the same lines as "Konichiwa Bitches" in which she displays her rapping "Talent", this is actually a very good easy listening album.

Now don't get me wrong, I like this album; it's got some really good songs, but I can't help but feel there's a certain arrogance in her music. The main problem I have with the album as a whole is the attempt at giving us a diverse sounding album. We're given such good songs like "Bum Like You" and "Every Heart Beat." They're great, but then they're canceled out by Robyn's attempt at "rapping" in songs like "Konichiwa Bitches" and "Cobrastyle." Listening to her attempt at putting on an American rap style voice to deliver such childish lyrics, make me bow my head in shame.

This isn't right and really destroys what could have been a 5 star album for me. It saddens me to give it 4 but there you go. If you like Robyn's past work, then I promise you will love this. And hell, maybe you'll even enjoy her rapping, I certainly didn't.

WOW! her sound is beyond amazing!!!!great artist and there music is always under appreciated!

Three seminal Robyn Hitchcock albums "Fegmania!!!", "Gotta Let This Hen Out" and "Element of Light" get remastered with some different bonus tracks, no liner notes and a 2 CD collection "A Bad Case of History" with one disc of previously unreleased/rare studio material and the second live tracks personally selected by Egyptians musician Morris Windsor. All four are presented in miniature "LP" style gatefold sleeve jackets made of cardboard and with a booklet featuring photos, lyrics and a story inside. 54 tracks in total that have never been "offically" released before are the highlight of the set.

While these have appeared on CD before WITH bonus tracks, fans will really want to pick this up for the two disc "rarities" set as with the previous boxed set of releases. You can do what I did--I made a CD-R of some of the tracks not included on these reissues and then sold the original CDs to buy this. The REAL reason to get this is that, unlike "I Wanna Go Backwards" where the bonus discs cherry picked some of the finest previously released tracks from albums like 1995's "You and Oblivion", these haven't seen the light of day on CD to the best of my knowledge before with 15 previously unreleased studio tracks and 17 live tracks that dip into the A&M years when Hitchcock reached critical mass and actually had some minor hits.

Yep Roc has done a nice job with this set but I do miss the liner notes from the Rhino editions of these albums which were quite informative about the songs and albums but it's really the music that matters. Is this a double dip (or triple depending on how many times you've purchased this?)? Yep. Is it worth it? Yep. Why? "A Bad Case of History" makes it worthwhile although I would have liked to see a DVD of live performances or an additional CD featuring odds and ends.

Overall for Hitchcock fans this is a terrific set but be aware that if you do decide to sell the previous CDs these duplicate, the track listing for bonus tracks aren't exactly the same so you might want to rip them to your computer. The other option is to check and see if some of these tracks from the "History" set will be offered at Robyn's website.

The three previously released albums here are among the strongest of Hitchcock's long career: those who love anglo-american guitar rock, eccentric songwriters, and indie music in general, and who don't already have these albums should consider picking this up.

However, I have to question whether it makes sense for the longtime fan to purchase this set. Some of us have already spent good money for the original vinyl LPs and singles, the 1980s UK-issued CDs with bonus tracks (which already featured excellent sound, incidentally), and the early-1990s Rhino remastered CDs (with a slightly hotter mix and a minimally altered set of bonus tracks).

Now, the latest repackaging gives us those same three classic albums in yet another mastering, with yet another variation on the bonus tracks, and a different set of notes. To ensure that longtime fans plunk down their cash for the box set, two discs of demos, outtakes and live tracks are included, which are not being sold separately.

Given that Hitchcock authorizes free distribution of live recordings via archive.org, I have to wonder whether the unreleased material will really incentivize fans to buy a full box set. Major labels have done this sort of thing for years, but it's disappointing to see an indie heading down the same path. As much as I respect Hitchcok and admire his art, I have some real problems with his latest record company's marketing tactics here.

But, hey, it's your money.

Highly recommended reissue of the cream of the crop for Hitchcock devotees, and a great place to start for neophytes. Generous bonus tracks and noticeable improvement in sound quality make this set (or these individual titles) an essential.

More songs about cathedrals and food.

The sticker on this box advertises 54 bonus tracks. To me, however, the reissued LPs ARE the bonus tracks to another great set of Robyn Hitchcock previously unreleased recordings. RH is one of the very rare artists who's throwaways are better than a lot of other artists' greatest hits records.

I used to listen to Soft Boys and RH records in the 80s and in the past few years, I've rediscovered him. He quickly became one of my very favorite songwriters, as well as a favorite singer and musician. One thing that I think makes him great is that his outtakes are as good or better than songs on his 'official' releases. Two of his recent records, Jewels for Sophia and Moss Elixer, were immediately followed by full length outtakes records: A Star for Bram and Mossy Liquor. All four records are equally good, to my ears.

I was thrilled, therefore, to hear last year's boxset "I Want To Go Backwards". It had three of my favorite RH records, each with extra tracks like singles, bsides and outtakes. It also had two extra cds full of more bonus tracks. Again, it seemed like RH's creativity is endless: I have all the old records and most singles, but he keeps releasing older recordings of perfectly brilliant songs.

This new release has nearly the same format as "...Backwards" and every fan of RH will find plenty to love. The three LPs reissued here are were recorded with the Egyptians, so they are more pop-oriented and have plenty of trebly guitar and fretless bass. These are three records that I listen to a lot less than the folkier ones, but hearing them here reminded me how terrific they are.

I bought this boxset for the extra tracks, of course. fegMANIA has a few from singles that I have, a recent live "heaven", which is interesting and different than the record's version. The disc also features a few tracks that are related to fegMANIA, but seem to have been recorded recently. Whatever the case, they are good songs. "Gotta Let This Hen Out!" has more live songs than the original LP, but they might have also been on the Rhino reissue. The extra tracks are a handful of Egyptian live songs from a 1989 show that sound like board recordings; they're not altogether bad, but they are a sort of anticlimax after the high energy sound of "...Hen...". "Element of Light" is the record that features the best and most extra tracks: a few singles and outtakes that are all excellent.

The double bonus cd, "Bad Case of History", is the reason that this set gets only four stars. The first disc is nearly flawless, full of interesting songs that I've never heard. Disc two is a live Egyptians set that is only marginally interesting. None of the versions approach the quality of the studio records, and there is plenty of out of tune harmony singing that is distracting. I can't imagine wanting to listen to it again, though there are a few covers that I haven't heard them do elsewhere.

RH fans will find this box indispensable. This is not a 'completist only' release, though. People who want more of a great singer and songwriter will get quite a lot of great songs for $50.

I already had most of the original albums that made up the previous "I Wanna Go Backwards" Hitchcock box set, so I gave that one a miss. But "Luminous Groove" contains three albums that have been out of print for a long time and hard to find even used. So as soon as I heard it was coming out, I pre-ordered, on the basis of just the three re-issued albums. I didn't know that there would be two additional bonus disks! So, between three excellent re-issues, the bonus tracks on those disks, and the "live" and "studio" bonus disks, I am absolutely delighted. Whether you like the sparse, quirky Hitchcock of "I Often Dream of Trains" or the more slick and elaborate wierdness of the A&M albums, you'll find this set, which occupies the middle ground historically and musically, enjoyable.

Myst is probably one of the greatest PC games ever made, perfect graphics, challenging puzzles, and of course, the soundtrack. Personally one my favorite soundtracks, it's more than just background music, it's moody, mysterious, beautiful, and even cheerful.

From the opening theme to the finale, every track captures the mood and the setting, for instance, Channelwood age tracks sound like jungle music. Selentic Age has a dreamy-like sound to it. The Mechanical Age has a mix of mystery, evil, and cheer. The Stoneship Age is dark and adventorous, with "Compass" an uplifting piece. The finale (when you would exit the game and the credits come up) is one of the best closing songs for a game. I like the majority of the tracks, one of which being the "Fireplace Theme" I wonder why they cut that one out, it doesn't sound like something you put to that setting. The themes for Sirius and Achenar are similar in each age with a few new added twists. Of course it's not the top-of-the-line soundtrack like many games of today, but for its time, it is a work of art.

A few complaints I have for this soundtrack, though. It's missing the eerie-ambient Mechanical tower and a few other tracks that didn't make it as well. Still, it's a very good soundtrack. Recommended for those who liked the game and anyone who enjoy soundtracks.

The "Mad Mind" has spoken.

This CD is a fairly raw, unembellished compilation of the original soundtrack for Myst. It is a testament to this game's originality that after some twelve years, I remain quite impressed with its music. Undoubtedly, the game and its soundtrack are inextricable, so I can't imagine what it would be like to listen to this CD without having first played the game. It's nice to finally hear the music in its unabridged form. (I played Myst on the PC. Mac users purportedly heard the soundtrack in its entirety.) This game is a master stroke!

If you have played the games, you will like this. If not, it is probably not for you.

Remember Myst without going there. That's what this CD does. Each time you hear a track you remember the place you heard it in. The music from each age is on this CD, if you heard it in Myst you'll hear it on this CD. The music isn't exactly the same as it was in the game, its longer and is really the versions heard in realMYST. The only thing the doesn't make it the soundtrack to realMYST is that it doesn't have the music from the Rime age. If you liked to music from Myst and want to hear it agene without playing the game, buy this CD!

I don't know why I waited so long to get this soundtrack. It brought back so many great memories from when I first played MYST. I loved it! I make sure to keep it with me at work to relax from all the craziness. The tracks are soft and soothing. They have an exotic feel to them to take you away to that beautiful island in the middle of a great sea.

This time for "Riven." This soundtrack is by far one of the best in the series. In my personal opinion I find better than Myst. It has a more atmosphereic/dreamy mood and is better made (thanks to some improvements!)

Now a short summary of the soundtrack for you: "Atrus' Theme" opens the game with haunting yet memorable tune. "Gateroom" takes all the segments from the scene and puts them together as one track with its mysterious mood. "Jungle Totem" is a beautiful mysterious ambient tune. "Survey Island Theme" reminds of "Jungle Totem" with similar mysterious sound. "Temple" sounds similar to "Gateroom" with added new sounds. "Village Entrance Theme" consists of drum beats with minimal sounds. "Moeity Caves" has a jungle-feel to it despite being referred to as "cave." "Moeity Theme" is filled with excitement and cool effects. "Boat Ride" is the only true "scary track" thanks mostly to the eeire siern-ish opening. "Moeity Prison" has the feel of being stuck on a prsion cell with the Moeity style to it. "The Red Cave" is quiet in a way, a simple little mealody. "Wahrk Room" is IMO the best one off the soundtrack, dreamy and beautifully done. Catherine's Prelude & "Catherine's Theme" are similar in that they are dark and yet pretty mealody. "Catherine's Freedom" is the only "action" song. "Gehn Speaks" another dark mealody with a building presence throughout. "Gehn's Theme" has elements of G.speaks, but this one is more memorable and I find better. "Fissure" is the longest track and has blend of everything to make a fantastic finish.

The first track on the disk isn't Atrus' theme, but "Link" a 10 second interlude that plays when you journey to another world through a Myst book, making a "zoom" sound. Also, at the end, there is a track on unused music for the game worth checking out. Two tracks that should've been included are the observation room (which contained the chair with cage around it) and the fan-duct tunnel (which takes parts of "Temple" & adds a little scare ambience). Other than that, great soundtrack!

Highly recommend, especially if you enjoy video game sountracks. Haven't played the game? No harm done! You'll find the soundtrack quite enjoyable!

The "Mad Mind" has spoken.

Riven has a couple of nice pieces and overall and nice ambient transport to get your mind onto other things. However, I have purchased all of the MYST series soundtracks and none of them hold a candle to the MYST 4 and MYST 5 soundtracks. Riven is worth it to complete your collection but do not miss the 4 and 5 soundtracks.

It doesn't really matter if you've played the game or not, this CD is a must. I played Riven and was amazed that the music topped that of Myst's. If you played Riven it would be stupid not to buy this CD. Excellent!!

This is good (in reference to the Myst soundtrack, in which (all of) the tracks are played differently (my mistake for my 4-star review, as well as Achenar's Cache not fading out in realMYST)), but it could be better (in reference to missing specific tracks, like Gehn's cannen's music and the music you hear in Crater Island's air vent to/from one of Gehn's offices)
I expected Link to be the music you hear when Atrus prepares you (can be classified as "Atrus' Theme [Preparation Remix]"). Instead, it's just the sound of you linking.
Atrus' Theme is the music you hear when you fall through the fissure after trapping Gehn without rescuing Catherine. Basically what I thought was Link with a longer time and more build-up.
Gateroom was the only track Robyn successfully made eerie. Part 1 is when you're in one of the caves close to a room with beetles on the walls. Part 2 is heard in that room.
Temple is more of Part 2 of Temple, of which you're in it.
Moeity Theme is louder, rock-hinted music in the same caves as for Moeity Caves.
This "Boat Ride" is heard when you use the Trap Book in Tay without Gehn in it.
Part 1 of Moeity Prison is when Nelah gives you your Trap Book. Part 2 is the ambient music in the prison where she gives it to you.
The Red Cave is heard in a cave of Survey Island.
The intense Wahrk Room is heard in the underwater cavern close to the red cave.
Actually one of several variations, Gehn's Theme is heard when you open the fissure without Catherine's journal.
Fissure is the victory music.
For some reason, Bonus Track, which could be replaced with Moeity Theme, is not mentioned on this site.

You know the world has changed since you last looked when films are not the only entertainment pieces to have a soundtrack. Video games also have soundtracks these days and the one by Robyn Miller for the game 'Riven' got me hooked non-stop ever since I first overheard it streaming from a colleague's cubicle at work.

It provides you with a dark, epic atmosphere that never really gets loud, so it also carries a bit of an ambient (almost new age) flavor to it. Perfect not just to go with the game (I have to assume, since I am not a gamer myself), but to work, read or write. It's mellow, but it doesn't sound common or simple. It is one of those albums you wish you could get more of, so I end up playing it once and again. It reminded me of the soundtrack to the anime "Ghost in the Shell" very much and it's definitely got moment that bring back "The Big Blue" to mind.

This is an amazing collection of songs.

The man never stops writing.

The demos alone are worth it.

If you love Robyn Hitchcock as much as I do, then this box is an absolute necessity.

This collection may be slightly incomplete, but I think some of the (very few) missing tracks in question will pop up on later releases in the reissue series. The only other problem I have with this nearly flawless set is the tracklisting on Trains. I prefer the Rhino version, but all of the good tracks are still on the disc as bonus songs. This set is a must for new fans and long-time fanatics alike. I can't wait to go backwards again with the Egyptians set coming out this spring.

This 5CD set should contain everything associated with Hitchcock's Black Snake Diamond Role, I Often Dream of Trains, and Eye. It should be a one-stop shop for those fans who are looking to upgarde or gather all stray tracks. But: beware that the horn mix of "The Man Who Invented Himself" is absent from Black Snake or the bonus discs. The horn mix was the sole version of the song included on various official editions of Black Snake. While the "zinc pear" mix (included here) is also esstential, the horn mix is the version that many fans know and love. It should--without question--be included as a bonus track. Also missing: "Mellow Together," which was included on several official editions of I Often Dream of Trains. Without these two familiar, historic tracks, the set has no value for long-time fans. New fans should be aware that, while they will be getting a ton of great tunes on I Wanna Go Backwards, they are getting an incomplete history.

Robyn Hitchcock may be a bizarre songwriter but he sure can get to the heart of what makes us human. His influences include Syd Barrett, John Lennon coupled with his own unique surreal songwriting sensibilities to provide us with a unique perspective on life, love and, of course, death.

This collection features his albums "Black Snake Diamond Role"(1984), "I Often Dream of Trains"(1981), "Eye"(1990)and features a compilation that collects rare singles, b-sides, demos, live tracks some of which have appeared on "You and Oblivion" and "Invisible Hitchcock" among other compilations/albums. Featuring some different bonus tracks. If you have the previous Rhino reissues do you need this? While it's not probably essential, it is nice to have. The bonus tracks are resequenced to different albums from the previous ones and there are some new rarities that show up as well.

Each CD in this box set replicates the original sleeve artwork gatefold sleeve (I don't seem to remember all of these being in gatefolds to begin with)with lyrics (and in some cases notes on the original release)in one section and the CD in the other. Unfortunately, they have no inner plastic sleeve to protect them from scratching but otherwise the artwork and materials are top notch.

Sound quality is extremely good as well. I couldn't find any remastering credits for the albums except for "Britain" and can only assume that Donal Whelan and Charlie Francis did the whole set. This is a terrific choice for fans of Hitchcock, Barrett and late 60's fans of Lennon (as well as fans of The Soft Boys). Since some of Hitchcock's original CD releases didn't always have the best mastering (for example my Glass Fish release of "Invisible Hitchcock" has never sounded all that great to me), fans will appreciate the remastering here.

"Fegmania!" is probably Robyn Hitchcock and the Egyptians' finest album. It may even be Robyn's finest album period. While "I Often Dream of Trains" has more great songs, the second side drags with a lot of filler. "Element of Light" is overproduced, which is why the stripped-down demos (included as bonus tracks with that album) are better than the album versions.

"Fegmania!" is a great collection of songs, and filler is kept to a minimum. The album really flows well, with a great second side, which features "The Man With the Lightbulb Head" and one of Hitchock's most beautiful compositions, "Glass," the absolute highlight of the album for me. In fact, the album is worth owning just for this song.

The other great tracks: "Egyptian Cream," "My Wife and My Dead Wife," "Insect Mother," "The Fly," and "Heaven."

The bonus tracks are very good as well, including a wonderful version of "Bells of Rhymney" (sounds just like the Byrds with British accents) and a really great live acoustic rendition of "Heaven" from 1992, with one of Robyn's famous nonsensical intros.

All of the bonus tracks are strong, and even the instrumental version of "Man with the Lightbulb Head" is worth having, really bringing the great psychedelic guitar to the forefront. "The Pit of Souls," a 10-minute instrumental, shows the broadness of Robyn's musical experimentation, at least, even is it's not the kind of piece that one will listen to often.

In short, "Fegmania!" is the strongest, least uneven of Robyn Hitchcock's albums and probably the best place to start for the uninitiated.

Undoubtedly the best album by the man

Peter Buck (of REM) in a recent documentary on Robyn points out that this is a great album that everyone should pick up on

Not much to add to that - I've seen Autumn is your last chance & Heartful of Leaves played live in the past - Robyn still does songs from this album live. Its still held in high esteem by his fan base. Robyn has spoken of the atmosphere that runs through the album.. very true. You get a definite vibe from songs like "Trams of old London" - theres a melancholy that runs through this from the very first track (a piano instrumental)

The video from this album (the title track) is a lot of fun - Robyn being menacing with a newspaper, sipping his tea.. Thats worth checking out too

This is Robyn's Forever Changes - it really doesn't get better than this. A VERY strong collection of songs, all the way through. And very entertaining in parts ("Sleeping knights of Jesus")

For starters, listen to Autumn, or the title track. "Uncorrected personality traits" is a hoot

Buy it buy it! and see the tour for this album later in the year (2008) - hes playing the album in its entirety. In this area (NYC) hes playing the Symphony Space in November

Robyn Hitchcock saved me from oblivion in the early 1980s, shortly after David Bowie had sold out to stadium pop. What can you say about an artist who is like a cross between Bob Dylan and The Gormenghast Trilogy? The first thing that stands out in any Hitchcock excursion is the quirky sense of humor, best seen here in the hilarious Freudian barbershop "Uncorrected Personality Traits." But the underside of a dark sense of humor is just plain dark: "Sometimes I Wish I Was a Pretty Girl" and "Sounds Great When You're Dead" have an edge and desperation so intense and authentic as to border on the frightening. But there is sweetness and sadness here as well, as in "Autumn Is Your Last Chance" and the instrumentals that bookend the album. This is one of finest pieces of solo work by an utterly unique artist.

Now, don't get me wrong - I love Britney and her ilk too - but there is something about a pop singer who is willing to take creative risks and has something real to say that really makes me happy. I've been listening to this album for over a year now and Robyn has become a real favorite.

She is upbeat and positive without being schmaltzy, her singing is easy to listen to and begs to be sung along with, and the lyrics have some meaning and interest to them so that the CD is still good to listen to even after a lot of plays.

Show me Love is one of my top Robyn favorites, and the rest of the songs are very good too. A few I usually skip over, but none of them are annoying, and many are standouts that always end up on my mix CDs that I make for listening in the car.

This is a no-brainer purchase if you like pop music. Robyn wears well over time and is a great addition to any pop library. She's adorable in concert, too! Her energy is really great.

`Robyn is Here' was the first CD I ever purchased. I was twelve years old and my friends and I just loved that song `Do You Know (What it Takes)'. Not that that little tidbit of information is all that important, but it just goes to show how long I've been a fan of this album. As my taste in music has changed throughout the years I've always had a special place in my heart for this CD. Technically it's not that expansive or anything. It truly is a piece of generic Pop music, but in the end it's satisfying. Each track is likable and designed to get the listener moving. What really makes this engaging though is Robyn's voice, unique and interesting and she adds so many layers to tracks that could really be passed over as simplistic. Her voice is very playful and I enjoy that about her.

The album opens with `Bumpy Ride', a track I can say I was shocked to hear the first time. I was twelve remember, and Pop music was supposed to be innocent and subtle in its innuendos. Thus the language, as tame as it was, was not something I expected to hear. It's a good track though, nice beats. The highlights though on `Robyn is Here' fall no further than the singles which were all brilliantly selected from her arsenal. `You Got that Something', `Do You Know', `Show me Love' and `Do You Really Want Me' are all so effortlessly captivating. They're so upbeat and catchy you just can't help but fall in love with them. `Do You Really Want Me' is probably one of my favorite songs on the track, maybe even my favorite.

The rest of the album is far from filler though. Songs like `In My Heart' and `How' are good Pop tracks, as is the title track `Robyn is Here', one of those tracks that is supposed to let us know Robyn is here to stay. It's actually a shame that wasn't the case for after this dropped she all but fell off the face of the Earth (at least here in the states), but her new album is supposed to land here soon so all smiles! `The Last Time' is a superior track here, as is `Just Another Girlfriend', but `Don't Want you Back' is even better. Robyn slows things down with `Here we Go' and then breaks it down on the closing track `I Wish', an acappella track that really exploits her beautiful voice. So, if Pop is not your thing than you may want to stay away for this is a pure Pop album, but if Pop is your deal then know that this may be one of the better Pop albums of the 90's.

`Robyn is Here' was the first CD I ever purchased. I was twelve years old and my friends and I just loved that song `Do You Know (What it Takes)'. Not that that little tidbit of information is all that important, but it just goes to show how long I've been a fan of this album. As my taste in music has changed throughout the years I've always had a special place in my heart for this CD. Technically it's not that expansive or anything. It truly is a piece of generic Pop music, but in the end it's satisfying. Each track is likable and designed to get the listener moving. What really makes this engaging though is Robyn's voice, unique and interesting and she adds so many layers to tracks that could really be passed over as simplistic. Her voice is very playful and I enjoy that about her.

The album opens with `Bumpy Ride', a track I can say I was shocked to hear the first time. I was twelve remember, and Pop music was supposed to be innocent and subtle in its innuendos. Thus the language, as tame as it was, was not something I expected to hear. It's a good track though, nice beats. The highlights though on `Robyn is Here' fall no further than the singles which were all brilliantly selected from her arsenal. `You Got that Something', `Do You Know', `Show me Love' and `Do You Really Want Me' are all so effortlessly captivating. They're so upbeat and catchy you just can't help but fall in love with them. `Do You Really Want Me' is probably one of my favorite songs on the track, maybe even my favorite.

The rest of the album is far from filler though. Songs like `In My Heart' and `How' are good Pop tracks, as is the title track `Robyn is Here', one of those tracks that is supposed to let us know Robyn is here to stay. It's actually a shame that wasn't the case for after this dropped she all but fell off the face of the Earth (at least here in the states), but her new album is supposed to land here soon so all smiles! `The Last Time' is a superior track here, as is `Just Another Girlfriend', but `Don't Want you Back' is even better. Robyn slows things down with `Here we Go' and then breaks it down on the closing track `I Wish', an acappella track that really exploits her beautiful voice. So, if Pop is not your thing than you may want to stay away for this is a pure Pop album, but if Pop is your deal then know that this may be one of the better Pop albums of the 90's.

Good voice but the singing style is very distinctive. I guess you either love it and can't get enough, or listening for more than a few minutes just drives you nuts.

The Last Time sounds good. Kinda mellow and laid back.

Of course Show Me Love is a hit. As well as Do You Know (What It Takes) but to an even bigger extent.

Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect) is OK, but nothing spectacular or new. Robyn Is Here is kinda just...well...corny. Not super corny, but it is what it is.

I Wish (A Capella) could've been cut completely. Not really feeling it.

Do You Know (What It Takes)
The Last Time
Show Me Love

are the only good songs really. Robyn has a pleasant enough voice but she doesn't get the right material. Skip this. If you missed it, you didn't miss much.

Ciao.

This is a classic!.... every single track on this album is a great song... OLE Tarantula is a great catchy track.... you can't listen to NY Doll without welling up.... the rest of the album is fantastic... saw Robyn twice while he was promoting this album, and both times he was great....

Has its moments, but not up to snuff with earlier works. For anyone not overly familiar with RH; just get his greatest hits album. This is a superb sample of his work and has 10-12 shining nuggets that won't leave your head. As for this release the first half is quite strong; Underground Sun is my favorite. However, I am hard pressed to recommend anything after song 6.

Even at his darkest moments there is something about Hitchcock's music that puts a spring in your step. A great album from a truely great performer.

Three songs on "Ole! Tarantula" achieve near-greatness: the goofy/creepy title song, "(A Man's Gotta Know His Limitations) Briggs," and "N.Y. Doll." None of the other tracks really moved me--as another reviewer noted, they're standard-issue Robyn Hitchcock surealism. ("Museum Of Sex" is especially disappointing, given the vast Hitchcockian potential implicit in the title--unfortunately, the song's just one more throwaway ramble about tomatoes and metaphysics.)

As a longtime fan (I first saw Robyn perform when I was in college in 1985) I think it's great that Robyn has steadily recorded and released new material for all this time. It's just a bit frustrating to consider his output since about 1990--the intermittent moments of brilliance on his records of the last fifteen years indicate that he's capable of creating another "Underwater Moonlight" if he'd just not settle for putting out product and focus a little harder on the songwriting.

This is by far the strongest overall album Robyn has done since the Egyptians, and compares pretty favorably with anything he's done, ever. While albums like "Moss Elixir" and "Jewels for Sofia" have a couple of absolute gems, they're in among weaker songs and arrangements, whereas my favorites here, "Authority Box", "Underground Sun", and "Museum of Sex", only stand out a bit from a very rich background. The Venus 3 come off as more of a real band than any of the groups that Robyn has recorded with since the Egyptians, and while I frankly prefered Andy Metcalfe's bass lines to those of Scott McCaughey, they're a well-balanced ensemble. This is my favorite record of the past 6 months. Strongly recommended.

At last, this unfortunately long out of print record is available again. This album was quite possibly Robyn Hitchcock's best work in those heady 1980's new wave days. Hitchcock, on guitar, along with the incredibly underrated Andy Metcalf and Morris Windsor (as good a pop guitar and rhythm section unit as Lindsay Buckingham, John McVie and Mick Fleetwood, if I dare say so) reached one of those points where everything was clicking wonderfully. After this, Hitchcock, long an underground and college radio favorite was picked up by a major label, where he produced some really good tracks on mediocre albums, and then further on (after that failed project) began producing Syd Barrett type albums seemingly for himself and die-hards only. But here in 1986 (if memory serves), Hitchcock's influences of John Lennon, Capt Beefheart, Barrett, Lou Reed, Dylan, The Byrds and Jim Morrison inspire him to weave a personal, and wonderful tapestry of sound and image. As the title and cover artwork implies, this is a somewhat lighter album in terms of texture, compared to say, his Soft Boys work, Fegmania! or Groovy Decoy, and it's chock full of wonderful melodies and harmonies. The sequencing of songs is also spot on. "Airscape" is simply phenominal! If the more serious mid-eighties new wave/pop music received the critical attention that the better album rock records got a decade and a half earlier, this one surely would have received it's due as a modern rock icon LP. (It seems that other tracks have been added for this release, as yet I've not heard them).